Page 33 - Phonebox Magazine 2013

Our local MP Out and about with Mark Lancaster
We live surrounded by some of the most beautiful areas of countryside that you can find in our green and pleasant land. Not only this, but the
area we live in is steeped in history and links to great British people and events. The Olney Pancake Race is just one example of an historic event which makes up the fabric of our area and is an event which is world renown.
Easter is always bad for my waist line as I find it hard to resist the chocolate prominently placed in all the shops so I am trying to give it up for lent this year, with a modicum of success so far. I was tempted to give up drinking London Pride, but as I was put to work in the newly refurbished Malting House pub in Stoke Goldington, (my latest venue in my wandering tour as a barman round our local pubs), I am afraid I couldnʼt resist indulging after my shift. Equally challenging to my waistline was my latest work experience role when I spent a shift ʻflipping burgersʼ at McDonalds in CMK, a far more pressurised and challenging job than I expected!
I am a great supporter of pubs, which often act as a hub for a local community, but sadly they are faring poorly during this period of economic uncertainty. Government is doing all it can to support landlords, looking into introducing statutory guidelines as to how pub companies should treat their tenants to offer more protection. But at a time when it is so much cheaper to buy drink from a supermarket people are staying at home and avoiding the local. I would encourage you all to support your local and you never know, I might be the one behind the bar serving.
We all venture into Milton Keynes Centre to shop now and again and last month saw two controversial planning applications being discussed at the council. They were in relation to the shopping centre and one of them would have seen Secklow Gate Bridge demolished and the market moved. Whilst I have no influence on matters relating to planning I was contacted by an overwhelming number of constituents concerned with the proposals and the affect they would have on our market, which would have been moved from its current position and reduced in size. I met with market traders and was given a petition to give to the Chief Executive of the council which had been signed by over 20,000 people.
I am pleased to see that the strength of feeling was taken into full consideration by both the council and developers who withdrew their application at this stage. However, while the location of this application was wrong it is vital that we encourage investment in our city and I am disappointed to see a project that would have bought over 400 jobs with it not come to fruition. I hope very much that they will reconsider their application and put forward new proposals for Centre MK, as part of a strategic plan which will also support our cityʼs market.
While taking into consider the strategic plan for Milton Keynes and the surrounding area, Iain Stewart MP and I have been campaigning to build a new A and E for the area. Built originally to treat 16,000 patients and now treating over 73,000 a year we are in desperate need of the £20million investment. Last month Iain and I took the campaign to the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt, who understood the importance such an investment is for Milton Keynes.
I am confident that by working with the hospital and the government
together, we will succeed and I will of course update you with any further progress.
As ever, if I can be of help to you or you would like me to visit you or your organisation please do get in touch on 01908 686830.
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is subject to examination and referendum and then forms part of the Local Development Plan. This statutory status gives Neighbourhood Plans far more weight than parish/community plans, such as the ʻOlney for Youʼ document that was produced by members of the community over five years ago. Tony Evans thought that a plan for Olney is a ʻmust doʼ as it is an opportunity to influence the planners and wondered if it might be possible to reuse some of the Olney for You output. Peter Geary pointed out that if Olney produced a plan it must fit in with the existing development framework and could not be used to override MKC plans. If, for example, MKC strategy was to build 400 new homes in the town then a Neighbourhood Plan could not be produced proposing no new housing. Unlike Olney for You it would
need to be council led and the effort involved would be massive in comparison. Several such plans were being produced elsewhere in Milton Keynes, he said, and were close to going to referendum. The council agreed to set up a working group of members to investigate the feasibility of producing a plan for Olney.
deployment plans, as described in the Councillor Corner article in Januaryʼs Phonebox. MKC has set aside £2.4m and has won a government grant of £140k to appoint a contractor to do the work, the contract being due to be let in August or September this year. However, since the meeting this has been overtaken by the recent announcement from BT that Olney is now part of its own commercial deployment some time in 2014.
Superfast Broadband for Olney
Town Clerk Liam Costello reported that heʼd had meetings with MKC about the position of street cabinets that will be required for superfast broadband to be rolled out in Olney. Pete Geary explained that this is being enabled by an alliance between MKC, Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils to provide superfast broadband to areas that are not part of BTʼs commercial
The next meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Monday 4th March in the Council Chamber in the Olney Centre. Members of the public are always welcome to attend and, if they wish, speak at the start of the meeting, or at any point that the mayor decides is appropriate.
Phonebox Magazine 33